Content Pilot announced that it has begun the research for its next study, “Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices.” This is the 6th such study, which focuses on identifying and establishing foundational best practices that matter to visitors, and that, based on client interviews, move the needle […]
When millennials become law firm leaders, how will they communicate to clients?
It’s no surprise that millennials like to text. I do, too, and often I prefer it – and the more deliberate emailing – to speaking on the phone. It just depends on what I need to accomplish. My goal of effective communication (i.e., understanding and being understood) always trumps the medium […]
“Don’t Waste a Perfectly Good Crisis”
"Don't waste a perfectly good crisis, " is what I heard from a law firm managing partner whose firm has recently gone through some challenging times. It's not just a great lesson in optimism, it's important for us all to remember as we encounter and confront challenges – and identify […]
2016 LMA Your Honor Awards Winners!
Content Pilot won three Your Honor Awards in the website category at the 2016 LMA International Conference. Congratulations to Kaplan Kirsch, Keogh Cox and Gray Reed! In other news, congratulations to Keith Wewe who served as the LMA International President. He also presided over the largest LMA conference in history! Deborah McMurray also presented “Experience Management: The […]
Experience Management is not an “initiative” – it’s got to be in your firm’s DNA
Here is a snapshot of how law firms approach the topic of “Experience Management:” It’s someone else’s job – “Put a few people together from IT and marketing and see what you can come up with. Make a recommendation. Don’t bother the lawyers.” Toe in the water – “See if you can […]
Lawyers and CPAs – This January, resolve to make your bios move the needle – Make them 3-D
Doing anything that moves the needle is hard. All the “I resolve to do this and that (eat more kale / break a sweat / cook more / drink less)” business requires so much diligence and determination that, by now, most resolutions are on the cutting room floor. I used […]
2016 Law Firm Predictions are Popular, and I feel optimistic about these
Many bloggers offer predictions for a bright, shiny New Year ahead. I am no exception. In fact, I have been asked by several to include my two-cents in their group of august prognosticators. Here are two of my contributions below. Posted on the Lexis Nexis Business of Law Blog: “Beautiful Minds: […]
Should we even try to be healthy on Thanksgiving???
For the last several years, I have devoted my Wednesday before Thanksgiving blog post to giving thanks (of course) and food (of course). Three years ago, I shared my “Perfect Mashed Potatoes” and another year my “Cornbread Sausage Dressing” – both are sublime and I urge you to try them. However, […]
Lawyers as the “Wounded Healers” – and other reasons they suffer from depression and addiction – Guest Post by Jim Dolan
Working with lawyers more than 30 years has taught me that they are as different as snowflakes or fingerprints. Any attempt to broadly categorize them as this or that is neither helpful in gaining a better understanding, nor fair. After all, I wouldn’t want someone to look at me and […]
Website Case Study: Kaplan Kirsch – Not your typical law firm
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell is a 17-lawyer firm with a remarkable story to tell. Operating out of two offices in Denver and Washington, DC, lawyers’ work and clients span the U.S. Kaplan Kirsch handles the legal work for the country’s most visible and important infrastructure, transportation and landmark projects. And, […]
Branding and Website Case Study: Louisiana Litigation Boutique Keogh Cox
Investing in smart strategy isn’t just a big firm luxury. Increasingly, aggressive, ambitious boutique firms with a good story are spending time and money to design plans to make smarter short- and long-term choices. Keogh Cox, with one office in Baton Rouge, LA, is one such firm. With a 45-year […]
“Lean Data” makes more sense for law firms than big data.
Big Data is getting bigger. According to research firm IDC, big data services and technologies will grow at a compounded rate of 27%, exceeding $32 billion by 2017. The greatest challenge is knowing how to make it work for us in a law firm – how can we learn from it, […]
What Lawyers can learn from “A focus group of one” – and dispelling the illusion that you’re right
I’ve taken a hiatus from my blog for a variety of reasons – other than my normal workload, I’m co-authoring a book with Greg Siskind (The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet, 4th Edition, published by the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association), and I fell, […]
What law firms can learn from OpenTable’s new Brand
OpenTable has become ubiquitous among busy professionals who want a personal valet to make reservations for us, check menus for gluten-free options, find out what other like-minded diners had to say about food, service, atmosphere and noise – and to fundamentally make our lives easier. The promise they make is […]
Law firms+data+marketers: the love-hate relationship between marketing and math
The first “marketing and math” presentation I gave was for the now-defunct Marketing Directors’ Institute conference 15 or so years ago. It was, looking back on it, rudimentary – but it was a start. I told the law firm marketing audience to care about client and matter profitability, realization and […]
Survey findings: Trends in Experience Management and Proposals
In November 2014, Content Pilot conducted a survey of senior law firm marketing, business development and proposal executives to identify trends in experience management and proposals. We are hosting a dozen “CP Rounds” Round Table 56 respondents completed the survey – 73% were headquartered in the U.S. and 27% had […]
Good ideas, true creativity and brilliant design – how are they received?
For every dazzling creative idea we have, for every unique and differentiating strategy, we need an audience. People who have open hearts and minds who will see that our approach is precisely what they need just when they need it. It actually happens sometimes, and it’s exhilarating to be on […]
Richard Hsu connects with lawyer (a/k/a) celebrities in a unique way (Hsu Untied)
Writing my first blog post in 2015, I wanted to choose a topic that would have broad appeal. I’ve written about technology/IP/M&A lawyer Richard Hsu several times. The first time was nearly three years ago when I first read his definition of strategy. I’m including it here, because every New […]
5 pieces of year-beginning advice from 5 top legal marketers – a/k/a the “5x5s”
There is a blizzard of year-end advice and year-in-review recaps on blogs, news reports, Twitter and other media. I am fatigued by looking back, so I offer these 5x5s that were presented at the November 7, 2014 LMA Texas Regional Conference by five senior legal marketing and business development authorities. […]
What courage looks like in a law firm.
Jordan Furlong, legal industry consultant and popular blogger, and I have recently been emailing about “courage” and what it means to lawyers and their clients. He just published a penetrating post called “What Leadership Really Means,” that gets to the heart of courage and why it’s so important for lawyers to […]